diesel or gas

[clill]

You can go with gas but that is just a delay till you get a diesel. The diesels make so much torque and get better mileage. Inside my 09 GMC 2500 I can't even tell it is a diesel. Trucks before it were a 2005 Ford F150 with a Roush Supercharger and a ford Lightning. Yes they could both pull a trailer but the mileage sucked and the 2500 was 10 times better pulling a trailer. Yes you can fix a LS engine cheap but these days most newer trucks are pretty cheap to maintain. It was very hard for me to take the diesel plunge but man it is so much better..

[WSSix]

For me taking the diesel plunge just comes from not knowing how to work on the engine and fearing that it's too difficult given my current living situation and lack of a work space. You guys have definitely given me some food for though and I have time to decide which is great. I'll just have to keep my eyes open and see what I can find.

I drive a CC Super Duty Ford for work. It's a long bed 4x4 and I routinely have a fifth wheel behind it. Yeah, it will chug along nicely. I just question if I'll be doing that much towing. Air doesn't weigh much

[rwhite692]

Originally Posted by clill

You can go with gas but that is just a delay till you get a diesel. The diesels make so much torque and get better mileage. Inside my 09 GMC 2500 I can't even tell it is a diesel. Trucks before it were a 2005 Ford F150 with a Roush Supercharger and a ford Lightning. Yes they could both pull a trailer but the mileage sucked and the 2500 was 10 times better pulling a trailer. Yes you can fix a LS engine cheap but these days most newer trucks are pretty cheap to maintain. It was very hard for me to take the diesel plunge but man it is so much better..

^^^Yup.

[vinz68]

I bought my 08 2500 duramax new and 70,000 miles later I still love it. Best truck I have ever owned!!

[djorgensen3]

I have had 1/2 ton trucks and SUV's for years and they will pull a small car trailer with a car on it ok, but not great. I also hunt and go out of town quite often throughout the year. Now I recently(within the last two years) took my 1/2 ton with car trailer and my father-in-law took his 3/4 ton diesel to go 500 miles to get two 75 corvettes that were given to me as project cars. My "little" truck did okay but the 3/4 ton diesel did it a WHOLE lot better. He could pull away from me going uphill like it was no problem....cuz it wasn't! He also could stop much better than I could. The back of my truck dragged its butt the whole way while the big truck sat level. What does this mean? It is much safer to drive while pulling a trailer. I also used my 1/2 ton to pull a 28' toyhauler last September and it was probably at least 1000lbs over the towing limit of the little truck. It was empty too. But it was my only option at the time. I was afraid of blowing up the tranny the whole time. I will give it to the 5.3 though, it did the job. My in laws pull that same trailer with 6.0HD and it has heaps of trouble doing it. I really liked my little truck however I traded her in on a 2011 2500HD Diesel CC 4x4. I LOVE THIS TRUCK!!! I pulled a car on a trailer and had to keep looking in the mirror to see if I was still hooked up. And with the four wheel disks and BUILT IN brake controller, it stopped on a dime. All in all, it steers better, rides better, has more room and when I am using it as a truck it is much safer to do those pulling jobs even though I don't do it often. Good luck in your decision but I hope you pick up 3/4 ton at least.

[WSSix]

Oh, I intend on getting a 2500. I'm just not sure if I want or need the diesel since I won't be towing that often.


Thanks

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by WSSix

Oh, I intend on getting a 2500. I'm just not sure if I want or need the diesel since I won't be towing that often.


Thanks

Brother in Law gets a new work truck every two years -- his job is heavy equipment (lift trucks) -- normally he gets an F250 diesel... last truck he gets GAS... We've towed to California and back - two diesels and his gas truck -- all with trailers and hot rods... him being heaviest... we never lose him on a hill... and he's getting roughly the same milage we are with the diesels. Biggest difference - he just doesn't have the low end grunt... but he's never falling behind!

It remains to be seen about whether or not he'll take a big hit on the resale market. But then the diesel cost 7K or so more up front - and lately - I've paid more per gallon for diesel than he is for regular gas....

[jjarky]

I've got an 08' 1500. I got the Vortec Max package which comes with the 6.0, basically same engine they put in the 2500 if you go gas. I added a set of firestone airbags in the rear to handle some extra load and keep the rear from sagging under weight of a trailer. I'm pretty sure my truck was rated at 10,000 lbs tow capacity.

I really like the 6.0. I have pulled many cars on my steal floored 17ft trailer many times. It pulls great, but really sucks the gas! Like 6mpg in tow/haul mode if your hitting hills and running 70+ (6" lift and 35" tires probably doesn't help that either ). I have also pulled a 24ft enclosed bumper pull, but wouldn't want to do that very often.

If you are going to be pulling a lot, I would go with diesel. If you will be towing occasionally, the 6.0 does a fine job.

My buddy has an 05 diesel with a programmer and he smokes me. No contest.

My next truck will be diesel.

[wmhjr]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Brother in Law gets a new work truck every two years -- his job is heavy equipment (lift trucks) -- normally he gets an F250 diesel... last truck he gets GAS... We've towed to California and back - two diesels and his gas truck -- all with trailers and hot rods... him being heaviest... we never lose him on a hill... and he's getting roughly the same milage we are with the diesels. Biggest difference - he just doesn't have the low end grunt... but he's never falling behind!

It remains to be seen about whether or not he'll take a big hit on the resale market. But then the diesel cost 7K or so more up front - and lately - I've paid more per gallon for diesel than he is for regular gas....

Sorry Greg but I'm calling bs. There is zero possibility of him weighing more, pulling just as strong AND getting remotely near the same mileage. Zero. You'd have to invent new laws of physics. No way now how no time.

[Stuart Adams]

Originally Posted by vinz68

I bought my 08 2500 duramax new and 70,000 miles later I still love it. Best truck I have ever owned!!

Ditto.